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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28965405">i just wanna see you (be brave)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavi0123/pseuds/lavi0123'>lavi0123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars Original Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bail and Mon appear for like...a few seconds, Could Be Canon, Gen, because you CANNOT tell me they weren’t friends, i simply don’t believe that, in the sense that no one can prove to me that it didn’t happen, no beta we die like men, this is really all about leia and jyn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:00:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28965405</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavi0123/pseuds/lavi0123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"You...did you...lose someone?"</p><p>But Jyn turned away from her, and Leia, for all her poking and prodding, could get her to speak no more.</p><p>Or: Leia and Jyn meet early in life and become fast friends. This changes everything and nothing</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jyn Erso &amp; Leia Organa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i just wanna see you (be brave)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Just to be clear, we aren't friends."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What do you mean?" Leia turned in confusion to the young girl that stood before her, arms crossed. Well, she reflected, perhaps young was the wrong word. This girl–Jyn, Leia remembered–was older than her by 3 years, possessing 13 years of experience to Leia's 10. Still, it gave her no right to be so...so...infuriating! "Your daddy and mine are friends, so we are, too. It's only logical."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The girl let out a bark of what Leia supposed was laughter. "Saw's not my father. He's my guardian."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Same for me," Leia agreed, presuming to know what Jyn was referring to.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>But Jyn shook her head, a frown on her face. "Senator Organa is your father. Not just your guardian. I told you, it's different."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"A guardian is someone who takes care of you, isn't it? That's what my dad is. Someone who takes care of me."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jyn scoffed. "Don't pretend you understand, Princess. You haven't experienced loss, not yet."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Leia opened her mouth to retort when Jyn's full statement hit her. Her expression softened. "You...did you...lose someone?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>But Jyn turned away from her, and Leia, for all her poking and prodding, could get her to speak no more.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>A few years pass before Leia really understands what Jyn had meant that day, and by that time, the girls are close enough that Leia feels comfortable confiding in her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I just...why didn't they tell me sooner? I'm 12, for Force's sake!" She huffed. Despite not being a Jedi, she'd grown up on tales of them and believed in the Force as much as they once had. Jyn believed in the Force as well, but that didn't stop her from being cynical, and Leia had declared that she would change that.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"When would they have told you?" Jyn pointed out gently. "You never knew your parents, remember, and they were probably reluctant to tell you the truth."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"But why? I'm the Princess of Alderaan, I have to know these things!" Leia stood and paced the room, just as she did whenever a problem became too much for her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Leia, look at me." Jyn insisted.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Leia obeyed, meeting brown eyes that were like her father's: warm, hinting at weariness (a feature which piqued Leia's concern, but she chose not to comment), and different from her own. Leia had never understood why her own eyes looked so different from those of her parents...but now she did. And she could hardly stand it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"...eia? Leia!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What?" She blinked.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jyn sighed fondly. "You haven't heard a word I said, have you?" She nodded as Leia shook her head. "I thought so. Leia, just...don't be so hard on them, all right? They love you more than you know."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"All right," Leia agreed. "I won't."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Little did she know, those were the last words she would say to Jyn Erso for many, many years.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em> <b>(7 years later)</b> </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You found her?!" Leia shot up from her seat, rushing to Mon. "Where? How? What–?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Calm down, Princess," General Draven spoke up. Her blood boiled; she'd never been fond of him. He always seemed too sharp, too critical, too patronizing for her taste. He reminded her of the Imps.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I will not <em>calm down</em>, General, until I can see my friend in the flesh," she replied sharply. "Well? Someone get on that!"</p>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>"What do you <em>mean</em> I can't see her?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Leia, please, this is for your own safety–"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I don't care! She's off to find a father she didn't even know was still <em>alive</em>, and you sent her with <em>Cassian Andor</em>? You know how he is! He's going to kill Galen!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Bail sighed. "Leia, he might be the only one who can help us. You understand that, don't you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm going to see her, Father," she insisted stubbornly. "She's my best friend. I won't let her think she's in this alone.”</p>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>When she finally saw Jyn, it was at a meeting in which the entire Rebellion successfully disappointed her. Cries to abandon this silly mission to retrieve plans that might not even exist rang unanimously around the room, and Leia realized with a jolt that this was the first time in a long time that her own voice had no authority.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"If the Empire has the power to make this sort of superweapon," a woman in a headscarf insisted, "what chance do we have?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What <em>chance</em> do we have?" The incredulous voice grabbed Leia's attention immediately, and she looked up to see her best friend, Jyn Erso, speaking with surprise and conviction. "The question is, what <em>choice</em>? Run, hide, plead for mercy, scatter your forces? You give way to an enemy this evil, with this much power, and you condemn the galaxy to an eternity of submission."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>As murmurs of dissent sprang out around them, Leia spoke up sharply, instantly on the defensive, just as Jyn had always been for her all those years ago. "Let her speak."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jyn's eyes widened with surprise, but Leia shook her head, placing a finger on her lips. Though clearly surprised, Jyn pressed on. "The time to fight is <em>now</em>!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And how are we to do that, when we have nothing?" A pilot demanded.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Nothing?" Jyn repeated incredulously. "We have hope, don't we? And rebellions are built on hope!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Leia nodded, noting the look between her best friend and Captain Cassian Andor. <em>I'll have to remember that later.</em> "She's right. What will we do if not stand and fight?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>But Mon shook her head. "It's too dangerous. I'm sorry."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Too dang–? Are we a Rebellion, or aren't we?" Leia demanded, pushing down the despair that rose up in her. <em>What is this Alliance coming to?</em></p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>From that came nothing but discontented murmurs, and Leia refused to look at Mon as Jyn's plea died.</p>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>"Well, what are we waiting for?" Leia cried upon hearing that Jyn had, despite orders, flown off with a group of like-minded Rebels (who collectively called themselves Rogue One) in order to retrieve the Death Star plans. "Let's go after them!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Not you," Bail scolded. "You're coming back to Alderaan with me and your mother."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No!" She snapped, anger and protectiveness flaring within her. "I will not be ordered around, Father. I understand that you wish the best for me, but I'm no longer a child. I can make my own decisions. And I say, I'm going as backup in case something goes awry on Scarif." She locked eyes with her father, but unlike all those years ago, she didn't look away.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Finally, Bail broke the stare, sighing, and Leia felt a small surge of triumph. "Very well. But I want 10 soldiers with you, and pilots helping out as well."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course! I'm not an idiot."</p>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>It happened so quickly: a sudden feeling of despair and grief that overcame her before she was even aware. Despite her confusion, she pushed aside the feeling and accepted the transmitted plans from the Rogues. "Thank you, Rogues," she called over the intercom. "You have made a real difference, and you will be greatly honored."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There was no reply, but that didn't surprise her too much. Perhaps the transmitter wasn't powerful enough to transmit audio.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What is it they've sent us, Princess?" A voice asked from behind.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Leia smiled, warmth filling her as she held the plans close to her chest–her heart. "Hope."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She would later discover that the Rogues had all perished on Scarif, and she would wail and bemoan her dearest friend and her companions. Then, she would recall seeing Jyn and Cassian together on the beach, and a smile would spread across her face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>And as she watched Alderaan explode into pieces, as her insides crumbled and grief overcame her once more, she took comfort in the gentle, unseen hand that softly placed itself on her shoulder and squeezed twice–Jyn and Leia's comfort signal. Now, Leia had truly experienced loss comparable to that of Jyn's.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her refrain from then on would always be, "Rebellions are built on hope!" and she would keep that hope always in her heart, to honor her dear friend and what she died for.</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this ages ago, and I’m surprised I never published it! It’s something I’m proud of, especially since I’ve always headcanoned them as friends.</p><p>Because come on. Jyn’s parents and Saw both worked closely with the Rebellion, and Leia’s adopted parents (mainly her dad) were prominent members of the Rebellion. And Leia and Jyn so similar. You can’t tell me they weren’t friends</p><p>(Sorry for the ending though, maybe I’ll write a fix-it one day!)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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